


Tale of Two Forces

by NoahsFortune



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drugs, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Foursome - F/F/F/F, Gen, In Public, Magic Cock, Mass Effect - Freeform, Multi, Original Character(s), Other, Past Rape/Non-con, Smut, Threesome - F/F/F, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-11-28 07:09:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11412840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoahsFortune/pseuds/NoahsFortune
Summary: This is a tale of two women swimming in perpetual darkness. Lost in violence and blood shed for so long, its something they have come to almost chase after. However, they find each other in the darkness and discover a small light of hope. Will they protect it and follow it to the surface? Or allow the darkness to swallow it and thus, themselves?





	1. Settling of Eden Prime

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting anything I've written. I had a dream about a Jack and Female Shepard story and had to write it. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I will. 
> 
> Feed back is always welcome.

In 2148 ce, humanity discovers mass effect physics through a small cache of alien data that was hidden deep within Mars. From this, they achieve faster than light travel and begin to explore space. By 2149 ce, information from the data cache on Mars was translated and humans discovered that Charon, Pluto's moon, was actually a massive piece of dormant Prothean technology, a mass relay, encased in ice. Once activated, Jon Grissom led the first team of explorers through the relay, which instantaneously transported them to another relay in Arcturus, another solar system, 36 light-years away. The explorers discovered that the mass relays are part of a vast network, making travel across the galaxy possible.

The Systems Alliance charter was signed by eighteen of largest nations on Earth. The Alliance soon became the military and exploratory spearhead of humanity.

The mineral known as element zero was used to help in many different fields after its discovery in 2147 ce on Mars.  
In 2152, The Delta Pavonis Foundation, a major consortium based on Earth, started humanity's first extra-solar colony world, on the planet Demeter. Later that year, additional colonies were founded on Eden Prime and Terra Nova. 

Alex Shepard is born on April 11th, 2154 ce.

Over the course of these discoveries and vast expansion, humanity has its run ins with other species and subsequent skirmishes with them. The intervention of the council helped to keep peace and thus, humanity was brought into the veil of how the outer reaches of their system worked politically. 

With the rise in use of element zero for space travel, there were subsequent health issues as there were few measures to properly contain the substance. If exposed to babies still in the womb or young children, there was a chance for them to develop biotic abilities. This exposure continued for years till it was directly linked with children who showed signs of biotic powers.

Jacqueline Nought was born in 2161 ce on June 27th. 

The expansion on Eden Prime was vast. With it being so well suitable for human life, cities and farmland sprung up. There are four major cities that reside on Eden Prime, all of which are simply named Zone 1 and so on. Outside of these cities, are large farm lands that both feed the people on Eden and is used for export. With a population over 3.7 million, Eden Prime is a thriving planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have recently been updating the story, rereading and changing some things around. Sorry to those who have read thus far.


	2. Jacqueline Nought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Jack came to be the "Psychotic Biotic"

Eden Prime wasn't as glamorous as the leaders and constant commercials would have one to believe. While those who thrived better and “more important” jobs, others were forced into menial tasks that had measly compensations. Long hours and low income often forced some, usually those young and able to search for more, to seek jobs that weren't safe or legal. Jacqueline Nought or simply Jack to everyone, was one of these young bloods that did not like to sit around or work for nothing. 

She lived in one of the many prefabs with her parents and younger brother, Christopher, in one of the many outskirt towns of Zone 1. Jack stayed to help support her mother, Christine, and little brother due to the lack of anything from her father, John. Her father worked as a technician, repairing communication relays and other things around Zone 1. He often drank on and off the job, got into trouble for violating regulations and met many confrontations with violence. However, because there were a lack of volunteers to do the work he did, he managed to scrape by and keep his job. More times than Jack could count, her father would often bring home his anger from work and explode on the family. 

Jack was born on Eden Prime and as she got older, she showed the abilities for biotics. Her mother was a simple technician and was helping with cataloging a new elemental zero mine, when an accidental exposure occurred. Christine was not aware of her pregnancy with Jack at the time. As she showed more proficient use of her biotics, her father would berate and beat her, in an attempt to shame her. 

For years, since the age of 7, Jack took physical, mental and even sexual abuse from the self proclaimed “man of the house”. Her mother, Christine, attempted to stop this but Jack, even at the young age, told her to simply stand aside after she wound up in the hospital multiple times for trying to stop her father. 

At the age of 16, Jack's little brother was born and her father's abuse subsided. Jack took the opportunity of the lack of her father's attention, to go out, party, hook up with anyone or to simply escape. Zone 1 had the most to offer in terms of “extracurricular activities”. With dozens of clubs, bars, and stripclubs on the outskirts or sub levels of the city, Jack came to life here. Just before her 18th birthday, she got into a relationship with a older man named Zaeed, age 35, who ran a group called the Blue Suns. With his connections and willingness to help, Jack learned how the business of a crime syndicate was ran and soon proved herself to be able to run with best. She was trained in several disciplines of fighting and weapons, favoring a long blade and shotgun for close quarter combat. Because of Zaeed's military contacts, he was able to help Jack with her biotic training. She was explosive and straightforward in combat, all the things she couldn't be at home. 

When she would come home, she was always greeted by her younger brother, a genuine smile that brightened her world. In her dark life, he was one of the few rays of hope and Jack promised to protect that. However, if she was gone for too long, her mother would be faced with beatings and verbal abuse once again. She did her best to hide it from her young son but Christopher knew something was wrong even at a young age. Christine felt shame and despair for allowing John to take advantage of Jack for so many years and so she fully committed to protecting the young boy, no matter how many times she nearly wound up in the hospital, or the grave, for it. Jack never blamed her mother for her father's abuse. Jack knew that Christine did try to protect her but John's sickening desires and rage were too strong to stand in the way of without dying. 

Jack promised to one day snuff out his life when she could take care of her mother and brother on her own. Her mother only garnered measly wages that wouldn’t even sustain an individual. While Jack brought in enough to support herself, the desire to run with her only two real family members kept her there and kept her chasing bigger jobs. For now she stayed, in the two bedroom, two bath shabby prefab. Sharing a room with her brother was fine with her for she could better protect him and the fact the two bedrooms were on opposite ends of the home, made her feel slightly more secure. With her age, she was able to buy and install mechanical locks that kept her father away. While he raged against her and her mother after finding out, a full night of drinking and tearing the women down till he passed out, he seemed to choose to ignore it from then on saying that he “couldn't care less”.

Her room had begun to be her sanctuary when home. Using the funds she could spare now and then, she took care of her brother. She was able to get a comfortable full bed for herself and a decent twin for her brother. Bought them a decent tv and gamestation with several types of games just for him. She took to buying Christopher new clothes and shoes for school but he mostly took her hand me downs as she wore a mix of boys and girls clothes her mother got from donations. He was always happy and appreciative for anything, no matter how small. Jack would take him out on the town when she got a feeling her father would go on a rampage and take him to the movies or arcade. Occasionally, when forced to do work at the same time, she would leave him with trusted women who were prostitutes of the Blue Suns and a few rare times with the leader. They knew Jack's situation and because of her hard work, were more than willing to accommodate and watch him, as several women were mothers themselves. Zaeed being more than happy as he had a soft spot for her and those in their situation.

Jack started to build a career outside of the Blue Suns after a falling out with Zaeed. Unlike the rumors would have people believe, it was not terrible. Zaeed and Jack knew it was temporary relationship and her desire to one day getaway, facilitated the break up. Zaeed continued to help in anyway that did not directly impact his business and Jack managed till she started to grow.

Now, known as one of the top traders and smugglers, cut throat and serious, Jack stands on a small empire at the age of 22. However, despite this, she stays home, unwilling to break her brother’s rose colored glasses of the family. For at only the age of 6, he has no idea of who his father really is, even knowing when he was mad and Jack can't bring herself to shatter that. At least not yet. Upon seeing the previously empty home receive a new occupant, she couldn't help but feel a kindred spirit in them. As she looked out her window into the neighbors own bedroom, she was met with strong green eyes and a faint lopsided grin that struck a nerve in her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just background on jack


	3. Alex Shepard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of a redheaded child.

Alex Shepard was not your typical woman. She ran with the boys, most of the time running over them, and never backed down from anyone. Shepard grew up on different types of space vessels and was orphaned when her parents were killed by a group of mercs known as the Blood Pack in a drug deal gone wrong. Upon noticing their clients having a child on the small space vessel, the group took her in. She was physically and emotionally abused under the old leader, Elias, till Garm decided it was enough. On the night of her 13th birthday, the old leader made to kill her, only to be shot in the head by Garm. Since then, Shepard stuck next to the surly Krogan and learned to protect herself through any means necessary, at his instruction. While the gang consists of primarily krogan and vorcha members, the faction on Eden is made up of krogan and human mercs.

By the age of 18, she was a trained soldier and Garms right hand, though he hated to have her childhood wasted on such a grisly business. But she was a tall powerhouse of a woman. She stood almost as tall as him at 6 foot and weighing 175 pounds of muscle. She had her share of scars that only made her appearance more rough. One splitting her right brow and another that stretched from her left temple to her jaw. However, her true power of fear came from her siege on Torfan with the Blood Pack after their leader and her father figure, Garm, was attacked. Torfan was a small moon that sheltered many criminals, mostly Eclipse members. She slaughtered many, regardless of anyone who may have been innocent of the crime or wanted to surrender. This earned her the title “The Butcher of Torfan”. 

By the age of 29, she had grown weary and dangerously close to the darkness that was growing inside her. So, she finally listened to Garm to get out while she could. She moved to a small prefab town on the outskirts of Zone 1. Upon Garms word, she was able to secure a mechanic position at a warehouse that worked on city vehicles. Living alone was going to be new, for she was used to sharing living space with either lovers or friends in the group. Still, Shepard relished the freedom from constantly worrying over potential attacks or the next kill pushing her over the edge of madness. However, after staring into the dark brown eyes of her new neighbor, this new home may bring new trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things begin for the two women.

The look in the woman's eyes almost made Jack falter. There was an overwhelming sense of strength and intimidation. However, Jack learned long ago that these types of eyes typically showed more than what was there. Jack smirked and started to make her way to the window when she heard the familiar whirring sound the mechanical front door made followed by the cheerful laughter of Christopher. It forced Jack to break eye contact as he came running in and jumped onto Jack with a oomph. She laughed and lifted him into her arms before looking back to see the woman gone. Furrowing her brows for a moment, Jack whispered “What the fuck..”. To which Christopher chirped, “That's a dollar for the swear jar sissy!”

Jack laughed and messed his hair before setting him on his bed and walking over to a 4 foot change jar in the shape of a space ship and dropped a dollar in. He beamed and took off his backpack. Walking over to his small desk, he took out his homework under the supervision of Jack. She was only this way with her brother. Any other person got her cold cut wall she put around herself.

“Hey sissy, can we play “Dawn of the Zombs” after I do homework?” he asked hopeful, as he looked up at her. Jack nodded and smiled at him.

“Yes but you have to get clothes together for me okay? Then we can play.” she said as she looked over the work and determined he could do it on his own. Christopher made a face as he thought about the proposition and then nodded enthusiastically after determining it was reasonable. Jack left him to his work and stepped into the quiet kitchen to make them pb&j sandwiches. Upon hearing several motorcycles outside, she covered the food and looked out in time to see four men on bikes and a medium size moving truck, ride past. Though they had advance technology, humanity still had many vehicles that use fossil fuels or a synthetic version so Jack wasn't too surprised at the sound of hearing them stop nearby. She stepped onto the small, lopsided porch that was thrown together by her father in lieu of prefab stairs and looked in the direction of the once empty home to the left of hers. There, she could see the woman from earlier, welcoming the small crew with rough hugs and back slaps.

Shepard was busy cleaning her place after the brief staring contest with the neighbor. She was grinning to herself because she could see the fire in the womans eyes. Upon hearing the familiar roar of motorcycles, Shepard headed outside to greet her familiar brothers. They exchanged pleasantries and smartass comments before getting to work on moving in furniture. She could feel eyes but ignored them and continued to exude confidence. As they worked, she caught the dark eyes of her neighbor standing on the porch and watching her. The woman was average height if Shepard had to guess, thin but seemed healthy. She hand long hair on the top of her head that was in a ponytail and the rest was shaved clean for her tattoos. She wore baggy pants and tight tank top that exposed her mid drift which showed off more tattoos.

_Hot_ … Shepard thought to herself before refocusing on the task at had.

Getting a better view, Jack could fully see her new neighbor. She was as tall or taller than a few of the men and was stocky. She wore loose jeans that had a chain dangle from her hip, black combat boots and a sleeveless shirt. Her bright orangish red hair was cut short. The top had to be two to three inches but with the loose curls, it was hard to tell while the rest of her head was almost buzzed. From her spot, Jack could spot tattoos, a Blood Pack mark being the most pronounced on the woman's right bicep..

“Fucking great...Blood pack assholes…” she said with a grimace. Still, Jack didn't move. She watched as the woman moved things in with the help of her friends. It seemed she liked “retro” furnishings as well. Every now and then, she would catch the gaze of the emerald eyed woman, and she simply nodded. Hearing Christopher inside starting up the game, Jack stepped back inside with one more glance before grabbing the sandwiches and joining her brother.

After a few hours of jumping and yelling with her little brother, five rolled around which meant her mother would be home with dinner. Jack realished the few hours she got with just the three of them. It was as if things were normal and it ignited the fire in Jack every time. As she finished helping Christopher wash up, she heard the familiar huff of her mom from a long day's work. Jack and Christopher raced from the bathroom to the kitchen to help bring anything in. Christine smiled and hugged her two kids and began to plate their food, placing saran wrap around one plate for John. Sitting at their small table, Jack began to eat.

“So, I see we have a new neighbor or neighbors… there were quite a few people out there.” her mother said as she cut up Christopher's food. Jack merely replied with a hollow hum and looked out the window as two of the four bikes and the truck drove past, leaving.

“Well, there may only be one and the rest are helping with the move. Still, I wouldn't get too close to them, ma.” Jack said in between bites and playful jabs with Christopher. Her mother looked at her and grinned, leaning over with a napkin to wipe her chin.

“They seemed okay. There was a young woman who introduced herself and offered to help bring in groceries but she seemed busy so i politely refused.” Christine mentioned as she collected their empty plates and walked to the kitchen to rinse them. The mentioning of the woman peaked Jack’s interest and she walked over to her mother. She turned and rested her back against the counter and folded her arms over her chest as she watched Christopher play with his toys in the living room.

“She did? Whats her name?” Jack tried to ask in the most nonchalant tone possible.

“Alex Shepard. She is a tall woman, strong too. We shook hands and it felt and looked as if she has seen some things or been through some tough situations but was very warm.” her mother recalled as she set the last cleaned dish to the side and dried her hands. Jack nodded and pushed off the counter to walk to her bedroom to grab the hamper of clothes her brother gathered. Thanks to her, they got a washer and dryer so she wouldn't have to hike to the laundromat every week. She even put in a clothes line with metal supports to conserve electricity during the warmer seasons. Her mother threw in her work clothes before Jack went outside. While it looked like a normal girl doing laundry, Jack was using it to find out what else she could learn.

After unloading the furniture, Shepard sent most of the men back with promise of a full out barbeque in the near future as thanks. The two men that were left were close friends. Garrus was a turian she met in her travels while Grunt was a young krogan she met in a short skirmish with a stray group of mercenaries she was hired to kill. They did not work directly with the Blood Pack, as Shepard kept those she liked in a more personal group. Shepard wanted to pull the merc group out of completely illegal acts and help those in need but that may come in time. They helped to arrange furniture and eventually sat on the couch drinking beer when they finished enough that Shepard could do the rest. Shepard tried to get them to just relax but they wanted to help their old friend.

“So, Shep, why this place? You could've gone anywhere and did anything. Why come to this bigger hellhole with no prospects?” Grunt asked as he finished off his beer.

“Well, i didn't want to be far from home. Besides, someone's gotta fix your fuck ups.” Shepard laughed as she punched Grunt and he punched back with a hearty laugh.

“I understand that Shepard but you should've gotten out. Isn't that the whole reason for this move? To do what you want, help others.” Garrus pushed for more. He could always see through the stoic or more aloof like surface that Shepard pulled around her. Shepard sighed and set her beer down before running a hand through the short tassels of hair.

“What can I say Garrus? I'm terrified to make a big leap from my family. The Blood Pack is all I've got and i prefer to stay close. And i'm afraid my ideals will anger the group and make Garm kill me.” she said as the lop sided grin appeared. Standing and bringing them into a hug, Shepard punched Garrus for making her say that but in a teasing way. She walked them out and waved them off as she saw her young neighbor come out with what looked like clothes.

Ah.. that small storage unit must be a washer and dryer… she thought to herself. She caught her neighbors eye and waved, only for the woman to turn her back to her as she opened the doors and began to put in a load.

Shepard took a breath and walked over, speaking as she started to near her.

“Hey my name is Alex Shepard but everyone just calls me Shepard.” she introduced herself and came to stand beside the girl as she leaned against the open the door. The woman looked at her sideways before finishing putting in the load and starting it. Being up close, Shepard could see scars over some tattoos. She noticed a blue circle at the base of her neck with a white overlay.  
Blue suns… she thought simply. With a straight face, the neighbor woman turned and folded her arms over her chest, locked eyes in an almost seemingly hateful gaze.

“What the fuck you want? A damn cookie?” Jack all but spat the question out which only elicited a small grin from Shepard. She leaned in a little, purposely testing the personal space of her neighbor.

“Well, if you are offering. Figured I should introduce myself to my neighbors.” Shepard smiled that lopsided grin as she watched the woman's stone cold face falter for a moment and lean back.

“Great a Blood Pack smartass…” she groaned and rolled her eyes. At the mention of the gang, Shepard laughed which caused the other woman to glare at her harder.

“The names Jack and I have no interest in making friends so fuck off.” she spat again. Grabbing the basket and roughly pushing pass Shepard, she made her way back to the front of the house. Shepard stared after Jack and laughed to herself, nervously rubbing the back of her neck before starting to make her way back to her new home. As she reached the stairs of the small deck, she saw a brown car pull up into Jack’s drive way.

So Christine is the mom, Jack, the daughter and that must be the…. Father? Shepard wondered to herself as she sat in a folding chair on the deck and cracked open another beer. The sun had begun to set as the time reached seven. From where she was, Shepard could see in the window of what she would assume to be Jack's. Watching as the lithe woman quickly brought the boy in the room and locked the door, looking somewhat stressed.

_Interesting…_

Jack all but slammed her hand on the wall when she made her way inside.

Arrogant bitch… fucking Blood Pack… how the hell am I supposed to deal with her around? No no, she wouldn't have made herself easily known if she was sent to spy...would she? Damn it Jack! Get your shit straight! She yelled at herself internally. She walked around and picked up Christopher's various toys and brought them to her room when she heard the familiar approach of her father's car on their gravel driveway. She could hear Christopher's blind excitement that only made her stomach churn. Exchanging a look with her mother that screamed “protect him”, Jack leaned against the entryway to the kitchen which was only a few footsteps from her room.

Hearing the door slide open, followed by some cussing, brought the nasty memories back over and over again every time. Jack steeled herself, crossing her arms over her chest and balling her fists under her arms. John clamoured inside, already some what drunk from the local pub.

“My dimmer betta be ready…” he slurred as he stumbled out of his shoes. Christopher ran over and hugged him to which the father hesitated, messed his hair with a grin and pushed past him to stumble into the living room. Christine nodded to Jack and brought the plate of now reheated food over to him. Jack grabbed Christopher and hoisted him onto her shoulder and sauntered off, pretending to be a plane for him. Once in her room, she locked and sealed them in the room and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Jack immediately set to distracting Christopher, turning on a movie and helping him into his pajamas before tucking him in. She sat on the edge of his bed, looking out the window to once again find the emerald eyes staring at her. The woman, Shepard, was sitting on the small deck with a beer in hand. Upon making the contact, she nodded and held up the beer, as an acknowledgement. Jack rolled her eyes before standing up and walking to the blinds and folding her arms. She made to intimidate Shepard but for some reason she just smiled some more, which bristled Jack. Watching closely, Shepard stood and reached into something behind her and held up another beer. Raising her brow in question, eyes never leaving Jacks. Closing the blinds, Jack chose to ignore the neighbor in the hopes of sending a message, she was not going to play nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the story truly begins. I really would appreciate feed back from here on out.


	5. Alcohol heals no wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Shepard start taking shots.

After several weeks of avoiding Shepherds attempts to make casual conversation, Jack began to become more irritated and was losing her patience. 

_ Whats her fucking deal? Lumbering oaf can't take a hint?  _ One particular saturday evening, Jack found herself watching the woman work on a motorcycle, again. She started to annoy herself with the odd new pastime. Jack noticed the way her hair on top would stick to her forehead due to sweat. The way the muscles in her arms tightened when lifting or tightening something. Jack started to watch her so much she took notice of various scars and tattoos on her body as Shepard regularly worked in nothing but a sports bra, jeans and boots. Something deep inside stirred but she snuffed it every time. Till their eyes met then it was reignited. 

Growling to herself she went back inside. She told herself that the reason for the desire to watch her was to keep tabs. To ensure nothing could potentially harm her brother but she saw nothing but normal behaviour. Shepard would leave dressed in the local mechanics uniform and be gone for long periods, of which Jack was also busy running her smuggling ring. But when they were home, Shepard largely kept to herself and seemed to live in a relaxed environment, contrary to her supposed ties with the Blood Pack. Still, Jack tried to refocus on her first saturday off in a while. She sent Christopher to a friends to stay the night and have fun which left the house with her father and mother who was also off. Jack secluded herself and resigned to channel surfing but found her eyes wandering to Shepard. 

Shepard enjoyed the way Jack seemed to “keep an eye” on her. She went out of her way to expose most of her toned and muscular body. Purposefully finding things to do outside in the hopes of catching the woman's gaze. She took notice of Jack's late night outings and the different cars that she would get into at the outskirts of the small town. 

At first, Shepard believed she might have been selling herself but quickly dismissed that when a drunk pulled up and tried to pick her up. He wound up with broken windows and busted face. She dismissed Jack’s outings as relating to the Blue Suns and kept to herself in that regard. On more than one night, Shepard could hear the yelling from inside Jack's home. Rarely, would she hear Jack’s voice as it was overpowered by the father's rage. Trying to maintain a neutral stand in her new situation, Shepard had to resign herself to long rides or going to a friends place till things died down. 

This feeling of anger only worsened when she realized there was a young boy there as well. It wasn't until he bolted from the house one day to meet Jack in the yard with excitement. Shepard was not home during the day most of the time and when she was, never saw a little kid, even with the occasional glances from her bedroom into Jacks. But upon learning this, Shepard began to think of ways to rid them of the abusive father but fought with herself to stay out of their business. Still, it didn't stop Shepard from trying to make nice with Jack, no matter how cold she would be. 

After a particularly long day at work, Shepard came home and took her usual spot on her deck with a beer in hand. She always enjoyed saturday nights during summer as it allowed her to really enjoy her cold beer. A few flashes caught her eye and she looked to see Jack lounging on her bed and looking at her TV. Her usual lopsided grin touched her lips and she picked up another beer. She whistled and gestured with the beer for Jack to come over. Shepard watched as the woman got up and opened the window. She was expecting to receive a tongue lashing but was almost pleasantly surprised when she jumped out the window. 

Surprising herself, Jack made her way to Shepard’s. She didn't know why she was willing to come over till she was doing it. Jack knew she sought out comfort in flings and messed up relationships but typically made it a point to steer clear of anyone from rival gangs. It was both bad for business and a potential death sentence. But there was something beyond the cool exteriors of Shepard's eyes. Something that was enticing, almost inviting. 

_ Okay you are going to fuck her and leave. That should stop your stupid teenage whatever.  _ She barked to herself. As she walked up the steps and took the offered beer, she kept her hard gaze locked. 

“What's your deal? You aren't some fucking creep are you? Getting your rocks off from spying on people?” Jack asked with a subtle accusatory hinge in her voice. Jack wanted to push and provoke Shepard, wanted any reason to hate. She watched as little to no reaction went across Shepard's face. Rolling her eyes, she popped the cap off on the railing and began to drink what she found to be decent beer. Leaning up against the railing, she looked around, peering inside the open front door some before she returned her gaze to the woman sitting before her.

“I don't need to peer into windows or people's homes to get off. I've got partners to take care of that or are you offering?” Shepard asked as a smirk crawled across her face and she leaned forward to place her elbows on her knees, looking Jack up and down. Jack had to keep herself from bashing the woman over the head with her beer when the question left Shepard's mouth. Instead, Jack scoffed and took another swig before turning her gaze to her home. It was faint but the yelling of her father could be heard from where she stood. She squeezed the bottle and downed the rest of the bottle in one gulp. 

“You got anything stronger?” Jack asked, her tone dry and splintered with anger. She set the empty bottle on the railing and looked back to searching green eyes. Shepard's face was almost blank, almost. Jack could see worry beneath the strong features before that disgustingly cute lopsided grin made its appearance again. Jack crossed her arms and raised her brows in a “well?” kind of look. Shepard stood and went inside of her home before coming back with two shot glasses and tequila. 

“Well damn, you should've brought this out in the first place.” she grinned and took one of the glasses offered. 

“What can I say, i'm a little stingy with my drinks.” Shepard laughed and poured the tequila to almost the brim of the glasses. She held hers up for a toast and Jack begrudgingly obliged. 

“Shit Shepard. What’re we toasting for?”

“Good company?” Jack barked a laugh before Shepard continued.

“Alrighty well good drinks then.” Shepard said as she downed the shot without so much as batting an eye and began to pour another. Jack shook her head and did the same though she couldn't help a cough as the burning sensation ran down her throat. One after another, they downed the tequila till they were at an even 9 shots. Exchanging smart ass remarks and little tales they felt safe enough to share. Jack dragged the foldable chair closer to Shepard as they finished the 9th and fell back into it as they laughed. 

“Y-You know… when i saw you..Blood pack...I wanted to kick your ass on principle.” Jack said as she leaned over, setting her glass between them. Shepard laughed and, in her drunken state, Jack felt a bubble of warmth spread through her chest. 

“Yeah? I wanted to kis- i mean kick your sweet ass when I saw that nifty little Blue Suns patch on your neck.” Shepherd's lopsided grin appeared and Jack froze both from the words and at the light touch of the redheads fingers against the back of her neck. The feel of the woman's calloused fingers as they traced the tattoo caused shivers to run down Jack's spine. Regaining some semblance of her composure, Jack swatted Shepard's hand away and glared but couldn't help a small grin taking place on her lips. 

Then, before she even realized it, Jack lunged and grabbed front of Shepard’s t-shirt. Jack pushed her against the chair hard, swinging her leg over Shepard's lap and pinned her legs down with her body. Their faces mere inches apart, Jack growled when she felt the muscles that tensed in Shepard’s legs and chest, her drunken mind allowing the thoughts of Shepard’s naked and muscular body ravaging hers to creep in. 

“What the fuck is your game? You just want to just fuck? Then let's fuck…” she seethed, crashing her mouth against Shepard’s in a bruising kiss as she moved her right hand up and gripped her throat. She felt the rumble of a growl in Shepard’s throat and Jack tightened her hold some. Then, without warning, she was lifted and slammed into the wall of the metal prefab, which caused a loud gasp from Jack. Shepard roughly bit down on Jack's plump bottom lip and tugged. Running her hands along Shepard's shoulders and moving them up to her hair, relishing the muscles that held her up. With a rough yank, Jack pulled Shepard's face away by the top of her hair, causing a deep throated groan that sent shivers down to the slender womans groin. 

When Jack looked into the eyes of the woman before her, the bright green emeralds were now almost as dark as the night sky. Jack could see the beast lurking and she wanted it, desperately. She grabbed her face and kissed her again in a sloppy ravaging mess. She moaned into the kiss as Shepard began to fondle her left breast, pinching her nipple through the thin material of the tank top. Jack hung onto Shepard tight as she suddenly found them inside of the womans home and was tossed onto a large couch. Jack pushed herself up onto her elbows and eyed the heavy breathing woman, and smirked. In one fluid movement, Shepard pulled her shirt and sports bra off before climbing in between Jack's legs to which Jack wrapped around the solid hips of the beast. This time, it was Shepard who crashed their lips together and Jack felt the sudden gust of cold air on her breasts as the redhead ripped her shirt off. 

Looking down at the fully tattooed woman in front of her, Shepard felt a pull in her groin and she brought her right hand to one of Jack's breast. She teased the nipple lightly which caused a noticeable impatient growl from Jack. The slender woman used her advantage of her legs wrapped high on Shepard's hips, and yanked her closer. Shepard then felt Jack wrap her arms around her muscular shoulders and hissed as the tattooed woman clawed her back. 

“Don't fucking tease me…” Jack hissed into Shepard’s ear and that sent a new wave of lust through. Ignoring the stinging of cuts from the cold air, Shepard grabbed Jack's wrists and pinned them above her head against the arm of the couch. Using her free hand, she pried Jack's legs loose with little resistance and yanked her pants and shoes off in a flurry of movements. Leaning back down, Shepard bit into the area where the neck and shoulder meet, eliciting a pained moan from the woman's lips. 

“I'll do what I want…” Shepard growled against the swollen mark, licking it. Suddenly, she felt Jack go rigid and immediately looked at Jack's face. She saw fear under the drunken haze of Jack’s chocolate eyes. Tears slowly started to well up and Jacks face twisted in anger as she fought against Shepard's grip. Realizing she was dealing with a drunk and angry biotic, Shepard immediately released but stayed on top of Jack, placing her arms on either side of the woman's head and stared at her. 

“Fucking get off me! Ill fucking kill you, you bastard!” Jack wailed as she hit Shepard anywhere she could but unable to use her powers because she either could see that the redhead was not a real danger or too drunk to do so. Shepard has seen this more than once and always felt the need to be the person's emotional punching bag, so she stayed. She stayed hunched over Jack and closed her eyes as the woman struggled under her. 

Feeling the hits getting slower and weaker, she looked at Jack again and saw many emotions roiling around in her brown eyes. Tears ran free, messing up her mascara as she sobbed into her hands. Hesitating for only a moment, Shepard kissed the back of Jack's hand gently before encircling her arms around the slender waist of the crying woman.  Rolling onto her side so her back was against the cushions, Shepard pulled Jack into a protective embrace. Assuming the exhaustion and alcohol consumed her, Shepard felt Jack's body go almost limp but not before she pressed close and settling more comfortably against the redheads warm body. Once she was sure Jack was asleep, Shepard pulled the blanket from the back of the couch and covered them in it. And soon, Shepard herself, succumbed to her own exhaustion.


	6. Scared Shitless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard takes a leap of faith and Jack's fear freezes her.

Waking with a shock, Jack bolted upright and searched her surroundings for any threats. When she realized she was in a large bed, Jack looked again to see if anyone was there but saw no one. After a moment of gathering herself, she took in the things around her. There were pictures hanging on the wall and one on the night stand beside the bed. In the image stood Shepard and a older looking krogan that stood just a few inches taller than her. They had an arm around each shoulder and smiled as they stood behind the motorcycle Jack recognizes to be Shepard’s.

Upon hearing some swearing beyond the closed door of the room, she was brought back to her own situation. Jack thought hard about how the hell she wound up in bed before it all came slamming back, along with an ache in her back. 

_ Okay, I remember lots of shots… basically provoking and then mounting Shepard… hot and rough foreplay… then.. oh fuck…  _ Jack groaned as she remembered the details. Right down to where she freaked out over Shepard's choice of words on accident and having a complete breakdown. She pulled her knees up to her chest and tapped her head to her knee repeatedly. Jack cursed herself for being so vulnerable, especially in front of Shepard in the middle of trying to fuck. Then it dawned on her, she was still in redheads home. Jack closed her eyes again and tried to focus. She remembered Shepard stopping any sexual contact but remained above her as she thrashed. Then, being pulled into an seemingly protective embrace and enjoying the scent of musk, metal, soft cologne and her warm skin. 

Rubbing her temples, Jack cursed herself a thousand times over. Eventually, she willed herself from the bed and, after realizing she was only wearing panties, found a t-shirt and pulled it on. It hung off her and made her look like a tatted up toddler. 

_ Why the fuck is she so big?  _ Jack asked herself, as she made her way to the door and thanked the manufactures for quiet sliders in the doors. Shepard’s prefab home made hers look more and more like a shit hole as she looked around. She knew it was twice the size as her parents but didn't realize how nice a replicated home could be till now. There were wood floors throughout, accented walls that diminished the metallic look that came with most prefabs. As she neared the kitchen, she could see Shepard by the stove in only shorts and a sports bra. The stove was electric surrounded by granite counter tops. A large black fridge stood beside it, separated by two feet of counter space. If Jack was a bettin’ man, she’d have to say that Shepard had the home redone before moving in and enough dough and pull to do it. The smell of bacon wafted through the place and brought her attention back to Shepard. Jack felt this odd desire to hug her from behind, as lovers would. Instead, she decided to act like nothing happened and walked over to the coffee pot.

The sound of Jack padding across the kitchen, caught Shepard's attention and she smiled tentatively. Lowering the temperature of the stove, Shepard walked up behind Jack and carefully rested her her hands on her shoulder. She could see Jack tense before doing a small roll of her shoulders and finally turning to face her. 

“Sup Shep? Making me breakfast?” Jack asked but Shepard saw through the nonchalant facade. 

“Jack… about last night,” Shepard started but was interrupted by Jack pushing her away slowly as she broke eye contact. Before Jack could speak up, Shepard continued. 

“We don't have to talk about it. We don't have to talk about anything. We can eat our breakfast and move on. I'm not gonna do anything you aren't comfortable with.” She took a breath and brought her forefinger and thumb to tilt Jacks chin up so she finally looked at her. Shepard recognized traces of fear still in Jacks chocolaty eyes. She simply leaned forward and kissed the furrowed brow  of the slender woman before turning and finishing the bacon and started the eggs. 

Jack just stared at Shepard when she went back to the stove. She was having trouble keeping her walls up around this odd woman. Shepard wasn't pushing or yelling or doing anything Jack expected her to. People from her past would throw fits or tried to force themselves into her life when Jack would purposefully keep them from her personal life. This woman confused Jack and she almost resented her for it. Jack picked her coffee back up and took several sips before leaving Shepard to her cooking and started looking around the home. Like before, it was well done and spacious. Shepard didn't have many items that looked sentimental except for pictures of her or others scattered throughout. 

The living room and kitchen were separated by a wall. The living room was arranged so that the black couch was sitting at an angle, the back to the opening of the kitchen. An entertainment center took up the corner across from it. Sporting a sleek, in set sound system and large tv screen. Shepard had a large collection of dvds that varied so much, it made Jack think the collection was for more than one person. She moved on down a small hallway to see another room that held still unpacked boxes and various items. Stepping back from the entry, she noticed a closed door to her left and tried to open it. The green holo-circle turned red and beeped, a automated voice chimed stating that access was denied due to unrecognizable bio-metrics.

_ Huh… wonder what could be so special that it would need this kinda lock…  _ Jack thought. She heard cabinets being closed and decided she'd ask about it after eating. Coming back to the kitchen, she saw the food on a round table in the open corner of the kitchen and Shepard filling two glasses with orange juice. Shepard looked at her with a lopsided grin and pulled a seat out for her. With a roll of her eyes, Jack sat and began to eat. Eyeing the woman as she ate, Jack was overcome with a sense of security and…. Peace. Two things she never felt together. They sat in silence while they ate before Jack broke it. 

“Why are you here? You seem to have enough money to live in the city.” Jack asked as she gestured around her with her fork. She watched intently as Shepard leaned back in her chair.

“I needed to go somewhere, start over.” 

“Are you on the fucking run or something? Fuck some chick or shoot some guy and now people want you dead?” 

“No, heh no. Ran with a bad crowd. Got tired of being shot at for bullshit.” Shepard stood and took the empty plates and set them in the sink. Jack stared at her for a long time before speaking again. 

“Whats with the locked room?” She finally asked, crossing her arms and preparing for anything. She noticed the way Shepard’s body tensed up and she turned to meet Jack's gaze. 

“Tell me… have you heard of the ‘Butcher of Torfan’?” Shepard asked as she walked pass Jack, to the locked door. She motioned for Jack to follow as the door unlocked for her and slid open. Feeling a sense of dread, Jack made to follow but stopped by her pants that had been folded up on the couch and grabbed her folding knife from the front pocket. 

_ Just in case she turns out to be a psycho…  _ Jack said to herself as she folded her arms to hide it. Jack wasn't sure what to expect when she entered the room. It was brightly lit and smelled of metal and gunpowder. Walls were lined with steel gun cages and body armor. On the far side, Jack instantly recognized a black helmet with a red circle in the middle in a glass case and it made her stop in her tracks. On more than one occasion, she had seen images of a person wearing that very helmet, slaughtering people. Turning to look at Shepard, who was leaning against a bare wall, she watched Jack. Blank expression and nothing readable in her eyes. It was in that moment, Jack realized she was standing arms length away from the “Butcher of Torfan”. A ruthless killer and right hand of the Blood Packs leader. 

“Y-you are… there's no fucking way…” Jack’s blood ran cold when Shepard took two steps forward but was stopped when Jack lunged out with her knife, pressing it close to the tall womans neck. Shepard looked at it then into Jack's eyes, a pleading look deep in them. She held her hands up.

“I am. I use to be. I did things that were… well monstrous. Jack, i never killed or hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. I'm not gonna hurt you. I wanted to at least show you this so you know who you are dealing with. So you can decide to continue to talk to me or.. I guess kill me.” Shepard spoke with a calm voice, body straight and eyes steady. 

“But you… You slaughtered hundreds of men and woman just trying to earn some money! You killed people that I knew and they were just trying to work and many never killed anyone! You're fucking telling me every single one deserved it!? And how the fuck do I know you aren't here to use me to get to Zaeed? It's not exactly a secret how close I am to him!” Jack roared, pushing the knife closer till it pressed into shepard's throat, a trickle of blood emerging. Shepard closed her eyes for a moment, when they opened, they were a pale green and filled with a storm of emotions. Then, a heavy hand was clasped on Jack's wrist, not moving her hand away but slightly pulling the knife closer. Jack strained to twist from Shepard’s grip but she was too strong. Jack could blow her away with a burst of biotics but Shepard’s hard gaze made her brain and body freeze.

“Jack, we do things that are not always morally right. However, that is not an excuse for what I did. I'm sorry… kill me now if it soothes your conscious. I don't blame you. I didn't come here to carry out any orders or cause trouble.” Jack could hear and see the sincerity behind the words. Shepard released her wrist and let her hands fall to her side. For what seemed like an eternity, they stared into each other's eyes in silence. Jack eventually pulled the knife away and wiped what little blood there was on her sleeve, without breaking eye contact. Then, with slight force of her biotics, she slapped Shepard.

“Thats for the men you killed. For all I really know, you really are here to to kill me and it'll be a cold day in hell if I let that happen. Stay away from me.” she seethed before storming out and gathering her things. She could hear Shepard close and lock the door as she pulled her pants and boots on. Pulling her hair up into its pony tail, Jack made for the door, only to feel Shepard grab her wrist again. It was a gentle hold that one wouldn't think possible of those calloused and heavy hands. Jack's head snapped back to glare at the woman. Again, the now pale green eyes staring into hers seem to be screaming and pleading but she said nothing. Instead, when Jack yanked against her hold, Shepard let go. Jack faltered for a brief second, part of her upset at her ease of release and the other wanted to brawl. Jack simply turned away and left the house. 

Shepard stood staring at the front door for several hours before walking into her bedroom and started to look for her first aid kit. Standing in front of her bathroom mirror, Shepard looked at the cut on her neck. Two inches in length but nothing life threatening. With it cleaned and covered, Shepard walked to her bed and collapsed onto it. She didn't know the exact reason she revealed herself to Jack. She knew that Jack could attempt to kill her or tell her crew about the “Butcher of Torfan” moving in next to the Blue Suns leaders ex- girlfriend but Shepard wanted to risk it. She just didn't want to admit to herself that she liked the tatted and foul mouthed woman and that she wanted to be up front about her past. No one but Garm and her old personal squad knew the person beneath the black mask but now that Jack knows, there's a huge risk of exposure. Shepard didn't care. If something came, she felt she deserved it.

Time slipped by as Shepard worked and slept, trying to bury her emotions. Occasional visits from her crew that went into the late of the night, helped her to ignore the nagging feeling in her chest. Not to mention her old lovers coming to visit or vise versa for some late night entertainment helped to squash Shepard’s feelings for a time. When she would work on her bike or in the yard, she never saw Jack watching her again. She would look out her own bedroom window in hopes of catching a glimpse of Jack but the blinds remained shut. Shepard knew she really screwed the pooch on this one and she felt worse and worse as time passed. Months later and with autumn around the corner, Shepard was once again out on her deck. 

Trying to enjoy the cool air and a cold beer as she watched the stars, Shepard couldn't help but feel a slight sense of deja vu. Turning her head to the right, she stared at the closed blinds of Jack's window and tried to stupidly will them open with her mind. After a few minutes she laughed bitterly at herself and chugged down the rest of her beer. All of a sudden, there was a sound of a loud thud coming from Jack's home. 

Jack spent the same distant months running more operations and handling business problems personally in order to distract herself. She got shit faced and woke up in random people's beds. Fucking and drinking were her usual methods of dealing with confusing emotions but it wasn't working this time. Even though she was drunk when she kissed Shepard, she still remembered it. When deep in the thralls of lust filled fucking, she would catch herself seeing Shepard in the faces of strangers and wished it was the redhead ravaging her body. It was like an itch that couldn't be scratched right so she scratched till it bled regardless. Blindly hoping. More than a few times, she found herself in Zaeed's bed again during this, trying to will her emotions out. Zaeed could tell something deep was bothering her but knew all he could do was be her itching post. 

Jack had to either lock herself in her room or stay with friends to keep from watching Shepard. To keep her desires at bay. The more time had dragged on, the more pissed off she got. She would actively fight anyone who even gave off the wrong vibe. This came to bite her in the ass when she shoved her drunk father away from her mother one night. They were in the kitchen arguing and Jack couldn't take it. In return, the large drunken man grabbed Jack by her throat and threw her against the window, quickly pinning her against it. Jack, in all her anger and hate, froze from habitual beatings from the drunken brute. Spit hitting her face from his gaping maw as he slung profanity and hate at her. She could feel the glass crack behind her back and started to claw at his wrists when she felt him tighten his grip more and more. One biotic blast is all it would take to get him off her but Jack couldn't do it. Jack's vision began to narrow, thoughts of Christopher passed through her head and she could feel the faint heat of tears fall down her cheeks. 


	7. Silent Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack shows a side to Shepard never shown to anyone else.

Shepard could clearly hear the ranting of the husband as she bounded over the railing of the deck. She landed with a stumble, realizing she may have drank too much but pressed on. She sprinted to their front door and tried to open it only to find it locked. With a sigh and a mumble of “im gunna regret this..”, she brought up her omni tool and hacked the door. After entering, she turned to find flipped over chairs and table, Jack struggling against her father as she gasped for air. Their eyes met and, without another hesitation, Shepard lunged at the drunken brute. Tackling him to the ground from his right side, Shepard struggled to keep him down. He brought his fist down repeatedly against her back and she yelled out. He twisted his body so they were facing each other but with Shepard still gripping his abdomen, he struggled to find a way to pry her off. Shepard could feel him trying to push her off so she released her grip, only to grab his shirt and yank him toward her as she slammed her forehead against his nose. He bellowed in pain and clasped his hands over his nose as blood began to pour and rolled around on the ground, cursing her existence. Shepard stood and took the distraction to eye Jack. She was being cradled by her mother, breathing raggedly. Shepard, knowing jack was at least alive, focused back on the thrashing man. She walked over to the John, he was curled up and on his right side, still grasping his nose. She took her right foot and planted it on his neck and leaned down. 

“Listen very carefully… I'm going to make the rest of your pathetic life a slow and agonizing hell, you will be begging me to end you if you touch anyone again.” Shepard said in a deep and menacing voice that caused the man to look at her with wide and frightened eyes. She pressed harder, watching his face slowly turn red then purple as he clawed at her boot. The beast inside her stirred at the sight and a small smirk touched her lips. 

“Feel that? Hard to breath huh? That's what Jack felt. Your own fucking daughter, you piece of shit.” she whispered menacingly, loud enough for him to hear. Shepard’s gaze snapped to a hand on her arm to find Jack there. She was rubbing her already bruised throat and swallowed hard before speaking.

“Don't… you have to stop… are you Shepard or the Butcher?” her voice rasped and she stared at Shepard with red eyes. Shepard didn't understand why she asked this at first, then what was left of her sanity sparked. Jack wasn't asking to stop the death of her father but to stop the death of whatever remained of Shepard’s human side. Shepard stepped back and watched the gasping man then froze when Jack hugged her. The redhead stood there for a moment before wrapping her arms around the shaking woman. She could feel the spot where Jack pressed her face against her shoulder dampen with tears. Holding her tighter, Shepard leaned her head down and kissed Jack's temple. 

“I won't do anything to hurt you…” Shepard wasn't sure if it was a thought or if she really said it but then Jack nodded. When she noticed the man now on his hands and knees, struggling to move with every inch, she held Jack at arms length to look into her eyes. 

“What do you want me to do?” 

“Just… make him leave. Don't… kill him or anything. Just fucking...” she didn’t need to say anything more and Shepard nodded. She turned to Christine and told her to gather some of his things and personal items. While she did that, Shepard walked over and grabbed the back of John's collar and yanked him up, slamming him against the wall. She grabbed his left wrist and twisted his arm up behind his back till he screamed for mercy. 

“You are going to thank Jack for your life. Then, you are going to leave and stay somewhere else for a few days. Take this as a life lesson, don't touch anyone or i'll fucking cut your balls off and feed them to you. Understand?” he gasped a yes to Shepards question and she dragged him outside before letting go of his arm. He stumbled to his car and Shepard took the bag from Christine and threw it at him. He cursed and raved before peeling out of the drive and speeding off into the night. Hearing the soft sniffles beside her, Shepard turned to Christine and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. After she led the distraught wife back inside and sat her on the couch, she covered her with a blanket and looked around for Jack. Upon noticing a door open, leading to a somewhat darkened room, Shepard walked to it and hesitated at the entrance before stepping in. The room was only lit up by a nightlight next to a twin bed. She could make out Jacks figure sitting up and rocking. Shepard walked closer to see she was holding her brother, who was asleep. Jack looked up and shook her head, making her stop in her tracks. 

After several minutes, Jack got up slowly and led Shepard from the room, letting the door close behind them. They looked at each other, exhaustion, old and new emotions laid bare. Jack shocked Shepard when she placed a hand on her cheek. Shepard placed her hand over it and pressed into the gentle touch. Shepard placed her right hand on Jack's hip and drew her closer with little resistance. Once their bodies were flush against each other, Jack moved her hand to the back of Shepard's neck and pulled her closer. She leaned up, having to push up on her tiptoes and kissed Shepard gently, as if scared to do more. Shepard wrapped both arms around Jack's slender waist and kissed her a little deeper. Not enough to signify lust just gentle want. Shepard felt Jack smile softly into it and she pulled away to press their foreheads together. They stood there in silence, eyes closed and breathing in each other's scent. 

“You fucking... You are in my head and… you break into my home and... saved my life. You got it bad for me or something Shepard?” Jack asked with raspy voice, trying to sound sarcastic. She had tears in her eyes and clutched the front of Shepard’s shirt tight when she asked.

“Like the plague.” Shepard said light heartedly, her lopsided grin making its appearance. She brought a hand up and wiped a fallen tear from Jack's face. Shepard felt a pang in her heart followed by the realization that she wanted more with this woman. Shepard kissed Jack's brow and felt the woman shudder softly. In a single movement, Shepard swept the woman into her arms and cradled her against her chest. She got Jack to open the door to her room and walked inside. Gently, setting Jack on what Shepard assumed was her bed, she covered her with a blanket. As she stood to leave, Jack grabbed her hand and stared up at her. No words were needed. Shepard took her boots off and climbed into bed. Pulling Jack against her like so many months ago, Shepard kissed the top of her head and tightened her hold.

Jack's throat ached and head pounded. She felt weak and small but in Shepard’s embrace, she felt… whole. Jack had the chance to end her father's life but couldn't do it. Either because someone else was about to or because her brother was in the next room but she just couldn't do it. For now, she stopped caring about it and hoped the fear that Shepard put into him would stay and he would leave them alone. She gave into her desire, no her need for Shepard and breathed in the familiar scent of metal, musk and light cologne. She pressed her face into the crook of Shepard's neck as she felt the kiss on her head and tightening of Shepard’s embrace.

“Don't leave me..” she said in a hushed whisper against the woman's neck. Jack had one hand placed flat against Shepard's chest, over her heart and allowed the steady rhythm to lull her into a deep sleep. 


	8. The Butcher of Torfan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Shepard began to lose her humanity

Every now and then, Shepard would dream about her first real all out assault on Torfan. It was suppose to be a simple deal. Garm and a small group of mercs were suppose to handle a trade off with a small portion of the Eclipse group. An exchange of product for cash to prolong their deal of peace. Usually done at night as the presence of mercs moving in a small convoy typically drew unwanted attention. Shepard stayed behind at the Blood Pack base in the sublevels of Zone 1 to run things in Garms absence but only after several hours of arguing that she should be on the runs for more protection. This was a monthly operation and argument that almost became second nature. 

The nature of the deal came about not long after Shepard's 20th birthday. Both Garm and Shepard were leading two separate groups to an abandoned warehouse outside of Z-1, that had become a red sand lab. The Eclipse were known for manufacturing and dealing a wide range of drugs for arms but overstepped their boundary by setting up in this warehouse. Within minutes, Garm and Shepard took control and locked it down. After hours of negotiations, mostly shooting and beating people for information, Garm was put into contact with Jona Sedaris. She ran the whole Eclipse crew and was well known for her erratic decision making. They eventually made a deal that if Jona supplied cash then Garm would supply weapons as long as they stayed away from Blood Pack territory. This brought a truce every month to keep Eclipse off of Blood Plack soil as Garm but mostly Shepard, did not want drugs peddled in the their area. Zone 1 and 50 miles away all around it, belonged to the Blood Packs while Zone 4, that was on the other side of Eden Prime, was primarily dominated by a small faction of the Eclipse. Occasionally, dealings would be done along borders or in neutral areas. This truce held for almost a year till things went south.

Jona had been planning to attack and take everything from the Blood Packs on Eden Prime. During their ride to a neutral ground where the exchange took place, Garm and the small group was ambushed and left to die. Except, Garm managed to use what strength he had left to contact Shepard and made it to a hospital. It was there, in the dark lit room of where Garm laid almost lifeless in front of her, that Shepard began to crack. 

Shepard's true identity was only known to her personal band of mercs and a few of the secondary leaders in the Blood Pack. Whenever working, Shepard wore a thick and heavy armor set that added to her already masculine frame. Coupled with a blacked out mask with a large red circle and a deep voice changer, everyone else believed she was a man that shouldn't be fucked with. If it made her more menacing than all the better. She adopted this appearance early on as Garm wanted to ensure both her safety and give her a better chance at a different life if she ever wanted to leave. If no one knew she was the second in command of the Blood Pack, then she could disappear easily. Now, it was a powerful weapon in psychological warfare.

She donned her gear back at base and called her crew along with over a hundred more men and women who were looking for payback. Shepard was going to cut the head off the snake. Her original plan was to take her team in through a underground system on Torfan, Jona’s main base, and surprise her while the rest were to cause distractions to lure the bulk of Eclipse forces away from the inner reaches of the base. Then, to massacre Jona and her immediate chain of command to leave the Eclipse in a disarray. However, when the time came and they infiltrated the inner sanctum of Jona’s base under Torfan’s surface, it was filled with heavy hitters and Jona nowhere in sight. Either this was a shitty coincidence or someone leaked information on their attack and Shepard was gonna gut them. In a moments flash, an exchange of gunfire ensued between the two sides. Shepard’s group had come up through an old and abandoned underground passage way to a vantage point that sat roughly in the middle of the inner compound. 

After a brief minute of rest as both sides tried to regroup, Shepard got word from her force's topside, that the Eclipse were at half force but reconverging on their position inside. Garrus, who was leading the distraction team, radioed in that Jona knew they were coming because of a man named Udina. Udina was an older man in his early 50s and one of the dirty politicians Garm kept on payroll when in need of something. Garrus received the info from an old friend in C-Sec on the Citadel after he figured it was odd for Jona to be gone. According to the inside man, Udina received large sums of money from Jona for information on the Blood Packs. 

Jona was never there, upon hearing that, Shepard let loose. Without a care about bullets whizzing past her body, she laid out groups of Eclipses with nothing but her mattock and a modded grenade launcher. Upon watching their leader take the charge, her group followed behind. In less than thirty minutes, Shepard and her group massacred anyone in the base. Tali’Zorah Vas Neema was a tech expert and watched from the cameras she took control of as her commander did this and it made her blood run cold. While others in the group killed many, she witnessed Shepard almost single handedly take down the bulk of Eclipse forces without so much as flinching. She was occasionally stopped by stasis fields from enemy biotics but those were killed by someone in her team and she was able to continue the onslaught. When the dust and blood settled, Shepard was spotted by the group standing in the middle of unmoving bodies. Covered almost entirely in blood, she didn't move, didn't say a word, only the sound of her breathing evenly but loudly could be heard through the voice changer. She finally moved, looking around at the strewn corpses and started laughing, another break in her sanity, that caused everyone to pause and some to step back. “The Butcher of Torfan” was born and lusted for more.

Since then, till Garm was well enough to come back, Shepard vetted every person working in the Blood Pack. If she even got a whiff of a person doing something that could potentially backfire on the group, she’d slit their throat and move on as if nothing happened. The hunt for Jona continued till the trail ran cold at a transport, where Shepard suspected she was smuggled off planet and to some other hell hole planet that welcomed criminals with open arms. After that, with the counseling of her close friends, Shepard regained some semblance of a sane mind but her reputation became notorious and she took advantage of it. She would be lying if she said she regretted it, in fact she enjoyed it and that is what led to her needing to get out. After 8 years, “The Butcher of Torfan” left the Blood Pack but this was only known to Garm and her friends. This way, her reputation still provided the Blood Packs with a rabib champion that kept other groups from crossing them. The beast that dwelled inside the woman would rage for more, and it was hard to keep it under control.


	9. A Few Moments breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment of relaxation for the two women

Shepard awoke like she did after that dream, smiling to herself. For a split moment, her inner demon would be relishing in that feeling and in that split moment, Shepard wouldn't fight it. Normally, she would get up and meditate before working out. Two things that helped her regain focus to try and have a normal state of mind. However, the more Shepard reclaimed her senses, the more she sensed a warmth beside her and the realization that she wasn't in her own bed. She turned to look at the new source of warmth to find Jack clinging to her side. Shepard found her relaxed expression somewhat surprising as she thought Jack had a permanent scowl plastered to her face. She laughed softly and leaned forward, gently kissing her brow and returned her gaze to the ceiling. 

A tingling sensation began to crawl up Shepard's back and caused her to start looking around the room. She could feel someone watching her but couldn't tell who or where from. Slowly pulling her arm from under Jack, Shepard sat up and found two light brown eyes peering over the foot of the bed. The person ducked as quickly as they could before reemerging. 

“Hello uh… Jack's...brother?” Shepard asked when she realized it was a small child. A glint of recognition could be seen in his eyes and he slowly stood up. He was skinny like Jack and had short curly brown hair. He was wearing a Blastos t-shirt and pajama bottoms. Under his left arm was a stuffed varren toy and a comic in the other. 

“Who are you?” he asked in a slightly high pitched voice that was normal for boys his age. Shepard smiled and crossed her legs, and leaned in a little. 

“I'm a friend of your sisters. You can call me Shepard. I like your varren.” Shepard said, just above a whisper. The boy instantly beamed and jumped onto the bed, disturbing Jack who grumbled and pulled the blankets over her head. He crawled over and plopped down into Shepard’s lap, looking up at her and showing off the comic. 

“Im Christopher! And this is my favorite comic. Can you read it to me?” he asked, puppy eyes just beaming at her. Shepard felt her chest tighten some and smiled, she opened the comic and began to read it. She changed between voices and moved about somewhat erratically when the comic called for it, making Christopher smile and laugh more. 

Jack stayed under the blankets as she listened to the exchange between Shepard and her little brother. She felt a sense of security with Shepard and it seemed Christopher did too. Only a small hand full of adults were allowed to interact with the boy and it seemed Shepard has made herself a new addition without realizing it. Slowly pulling the blanket down, Jack watched as Shepard got into a mock arm wrestle match with Christopher and purposely losing. He threw his arms in the air and chanted his name before Shepard began to tickle him. Jack caught her eye and Shepard grinned without really turning her attention away from Christopher. 

“Hey, do you like pancakes? I'll make you some if you… patiently wait in the kitchen for five minutes. What do you say?” she asked, picking him up and setting him on the ground only for him to bolt out the room yelling okay. Shepard laughed and turned her body as she focused on Jack. The still cocooned woman was thankful for the blanket around her mouth for she knew she had the biggest loving smile but wanted to hide it from Shepard. 

“Hey, how're you feeling?” Shepard asked, looking at her with some concern and Jack swore she also caught a glint of love. It threw Jack off because she thought she was seeing things till she saw Shepard's eyes only grow with intensity. Jack looked down at the mattress as she slowly sat up, running her fingers over the bruises on her neck after she righted herself.

“Throat still a little sore but, i'm fine. Not the first time i've been treated like that.” she said, trying to laugh it off. Jack had to take a deep breath before looking back into Shepard's sharp, green eyes. She almost hated the feeling this woman gave her just from a single look. It disarmed her and she hated that but not as much as she liked it. She was able to relax naturally around this person, something she never could do before not even with Zaeed. When Shepard took her hand, Jack didn't pull away. Jack let Shepard bring her closer and pull her onto her lap. She willingly pressed against the large frame of the woman and enjoyed the heat that radiated from the redhead.

“I hate this… this feeling… you're like a weird disease Shep.” Jack whispered against Shepard's exposed collar bone before nipping it, causing the woman to exhale sharply. She laughed and Jack could feel it resonate in her chest. 

“I'm the kind of disease that makes you feel good. Maybe give you a superpower. Never know, I may be worth keeping, Jack.” she spoke confidently and Jack could almost hear her break into a smile. 

“I think you should refrain from reading my brothers comics…” Jack said, finding herself smiling too. Shepard had one hand on her side, holding her close while the other found its way to Jack's neck. Jack froze for a moment before she looked up at Shepard. Shepard was eyeing the bruises that could be seen under all the tattoos, a flash of anger could be seen in her eyes. 

“Jack, no person should be accustomed to abuse. I can't change your past but…” Shepard looked away for a moment before looking into Jack's eyes. 

“I'd like to be here for your future. You know, if you can handle all the “side effects” of this disease?” she said as that lopsided grin appeared. Jack smirked and leaned forward, catching her lips in a deep kiss. She could feel Shepard go rigid with surprise before relaxing and returning the kiss. 

“I don't know, may have to wait and see. Now, I believe pancakes were promised to my little brother. You break a promise to him and the punishment will be severe.” Jack said in a serious tone as she got off the bed but a slight smirk pulled at the corner of her lip that told Shepard she might like it. Shepard laughed and stood, following Jack out to the kitchen. Jack and Christopher played in the livingroom with their mother till she had to leave for work, stating she couldn't afford to miss a day. She thanked Shepard to which the redhead simply nodded. Once pancakes and bacon were cooked and plated, the three sat to eat and Shepard humored Christopher with all the questions he had. Jack was genuinely enjoying her time and liked someone else taking the brunt of Christopher's inquisitive mind. However, he asked a question that caught her and more noticeably Shepard, off guard. 

“Do you like my sister? Like mommy likes daddy?” he said as he stared at the two women sitting next to each other. Shepard had nearly choked on her mouthful of food before taking a large gulp of water and eventually clearing her throat. Jack watched her shift and look at her for help but Jack couldn't help the mischievous feeling grow and leaned forward on her elbows.

“Yeah, Shep. You can tell him.” Jack egged her brother on and Shepard scowled at her jokingly before grinning. 

“Tell me, Christopher. What do you think about adults kissing?” 

“Its icky!” he exclaimed sticking his tongue out and fake shuddering. 

“Oh really?” She asked before putting her left arm behind Jack and pulling her and the chair closer. She quickly brought her right hand up to Jack's chin and kissed her softly. Jack couldn't help but to go wide eyed at the sudden feel of Shepard's lips on hers before closing them and leaning into it. The two women heard a loud and exaggerated “EWWWW” come from Christopher before he bolted for the bedroom. Shepard broke the kiss to look back over her shoulder and laughed. Jack simply stared at the side of Shepard's head before she sat back and took the woman in. 

It had been months since she actually looked at Shepard. In that time, her dark red hair had grown out some. The sides and back becoming more shaggy and the longer curls on top laid down more. There were several claw marks that peaked just above her shirt on the back of her left shoulder. She was wearing a thermal top and jeans, meaning she hadn't changed from her day clothes before last night's events. When Shepard looked back to her, Jack took notice of the dark circles under her eyes and light scrape on the right side of her jaw. Without thinking, Jack reached out and gently touched the mark. 

“Why?” was all she could ask. Shepard knew the purpose behind Jack's question.

“I'm not too sure… To be honest, i don't like to get into personal people's business, no matter how bad. But I was drunk and I knew there might be a kid in the house and well… I didn't like knowing you might get hurt. Again, alcohol might have been the strongest motivator.” Shepard said, trying to laugh it off and resting back in her chair. She was staring at her plate, pushing around a small bit of pancake. They sat in silence for a long time, other than sound of cartoons and Christopher laughing resonating through the house. 

“I didn't tell anyone about you being the damn “Butcher”. If that's why you felt the need t-” Jack was cut off by Shepard's lips on hers. She felt the woman's right hand on her cheek, her thumb gently caressing her cheek bone. Shepard deepened it before slowly pulling back and locking eyes. 

“This is why. I didn't come save you so you'd owe me one. I did it cause I like you Jack and it'd be nice if you kept breathing. Though, i didn't know who was being thrown against a window, so yeah.” Shepard said as she stood. Jack just sat there and mulled over the words that the tall woman said. As Shepard cleaned the dishes, Jack let the words, the ones Shepard really meant, sink in and she found herself standing. Jack has passed by many relationships because of her experiences with many lying or using her. She hated not being able to know for sure if the person being nice to her was for real or not, but experience typically proved the latter. But Shepard revealed her deepest and possibly darkest secret without being asked to. Shepard could have lied but she didn’t. She seemed way more honest than anyone else she has come across. 

Jack's mind was running a mile a minute but stopped when she placed her hands on Shepard’s lower back. A sharp breath could be heard from her and Jack hesitated, pulling her hands away. 

“Wait.. it's not you. My back just hurts a little.” Shepard said over her shoulder, looking at Jack. Carefully, Jack lifted the shirt to reveal large and dark bruises on the womans back. Shepard did not have many tattoos and so Jack could see every bruise that her father left from last night's brawl. There was one spanning the entire lower back, four on her upper right side and another large one that covered her left shoulder blade. Jack gently drew her finger tips in between the upper and lower bruise, causing Shepard to shiver softly.

“You should let me put medi-gel on these… They'll heal faster.” Jack said as she lowered the shirt and looked up at Shepard.

“No, I'll be fine. I'm a tough bastard.” Shepard said grinning. Jack rolled her eyes before biting her lip and staring into green eyes. 

“What're we doing Shepard?”

“Living. Trying to be better people? I don't know Jack, I dont have the answers.” Shepard shrugged but still smiled. She crossed her arms as she leaned back on the counter and Jack stepped forward, leaning up to kiss the scrape on her jaw. 

“Well fuck, Shep. Let me know when you do. Now, i'm gonna go shower yesterday's shit off and take care of my brother. So… thank you and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.” Jack said as she quickly walked away to her room. She needed to get away because she found herself doing stupid couple shit with Shepard and the worse part, she thought, was that she wanted to. Jack stripped and climbed under the hot water that washed over her from the shower. Though her rational side cursed her, her heart thumped hard at every word and thought of Shepard. She let herself smile at it.


	10. Old Enemies

A week had passed since the night that Shepard intervened in the struggle between Jack and her father. Christopher took to visiting Shepard whenever she was outside and she would teach him little things about motorcycles. Jack kept watch but felt that she could at least trust Shepard to look out for her little brother. She and Shepard even began to talk to each other more, revealing old histories. Upon learning that Shepard didn't deal in any real Blood Pack business anymore and that the friends that would come around to visit were her own group of mercs, Jack felt a little more at ease. 

Jack revealed that she left the Blue Suns because she needed to work on her own, to pull in more money. It wasn't that the Blue Suns did not have large cash flows, it was that most of it went to the group as a whole rather than individuals which meant little take home pay. More and more as the days passed, they revealed little tidbits about each other's lives, growing closer. Jack even slept over a few times when they would stay up late and talked over drinks. Nothing overtly sexual really happened since their first attempt. Both she and Shepard couldn't bring themselves to really talk about it. That and Christopher would sleep in the living room so Jack could watch him. Jack just enjoyed the security and didn't want to ruin it by bringing up that night. For now, the peace was enough for her.

-

Jona Sederis, a 530 year old asari commando, never quite got over her losses on Torfan. While the Eclipse were once a strong military type force, running on asari and salarian doctrine, the Butcher wiped most of her force in a single night. Jona went on a rampage herself that night, fighting and killing several individuals in a brawl on Omega. Though she regained over half of the lost forces in the past 8 years, her group was still lacking and it just pissed her off more. While the self appointed Queen of Omega, Aria T’loak, helped in exchange for Jona’s loyalty, it still was not enough. Jona had received word several months ago that the Butcher was no longer actively making appearances to Blood Pack show downs and so she began her planning, once again, to strike hard against them. Her main goal was to hunt down the Butcher and tear his head off. For now, she had to bide her time.

Her first mark, Garm. 

-

After almost a month, Jack’s dad came back. It was during a Wednesday afternoon. The sky was cloudy and the brisk wind was blowing fallen leaves around. Shepard was playing superheroes with Christopher in the yard when she heard the car approach. She sent Christopher into her house and stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to her deck. She quickly typed out a message on her omnitool and sent it to Jack over their private channel. The man stared daggers at her before getting out of the car and trudging up to his front door. To Shepard’s moderate surprise, Christine was there and hugged him. Maybe she did it for Christopher or out of some sense of duty because they were married. Whatever the reason, Shepard was still going to keep an eye out. She and Shepard exchanged a look that went unnoticed by John. The man looked more disheveled than the night she tossed him from his own home and Shepard figured it was due to the fact he couldn't really take care of himself. Upon hearing a familiar beep of her omnitool, Shepard brought up the message from Jack. Two words.

-JN: Protect Christopher.

With that, Shepard went inside and set to making the little boy a sandwich while he watched 21st century Earth movies. Standing in the kitchen, Shepard could see down the hall and into her bedroom. From there, the open blinds allowed her to keep an eye on Jack's home. For now, she didn't see much and she was interrupted by a knock on her front door. Shepard walked over and engaged a small panel by the door that allowed her to see outside. Seeing Jack, she immediately opened the door. The tattooed woman's face was serious and she had looked like she was in a fight as there were scratches on her face and her clothes were messed up. Jack pushed past Shepard and went to a cabinet above the kitchen sink, grabbing a bottle of whisky and quickly unscrewing the top. Shepard let the door closed and locked it before taking a seat at the dining table and waited on Jack to speak.

“Heard anything next door?” she finally asked, taking a seat across from Shepard as she took a gulp of whisky. Shepard watched her as she took off her studded, leather jacket with some strain before she leaned forward and took the bottle. Before Jack could protest, Shepard returned it after taking her own gulp. 

“Nothing. As far as I can tell, he is playing nice. No one has come over to get Christopher, so id say good so far. He’s watching movies in the living room.” 

“Good. I don't want that fuckhead near him but… my little brother has no real idea about what kind of monster my dad is.”

“Jack… I know it is not my business but why do you look like shit?”

“You really know how to sweet talk a lady huh Shep?” Jack said, trying to feign being insulted but instead laughed when Shepard grinned. 

“Oh, you know i'm a charmer.” Shepard stated, looking into the brown eyes of the stubborn woman before her. She took another drink as she watched Jack settle into her seat and let her hair down. Shepard like this Jack best. She liked everything about Jack but particularly enjoyed her relaxing for once. 

“A business partner of mine was killed and jacked for a information cache on new hardware. It was suppose to be a trade of creds for information but they brought red sand, thinking they could trade it instead. My business partner doesn't do drugs. He was walking away when he got jumped and got his goddamn throat slit. I've spent the last several nights tracking and dealing with everyone in the attack.” she said, turning her scraped and bruised hands over to look at them.

“Did you kill them?”

“Fuck yeah, I did. Not all, but most to send a message. Can’t leave shitheads like that alive without sending a message. They'll think they can do that to anyone.” Jack said, running a hand through her loose hair. 

“Better them than you.” Shepard said plainly, staring at Jack. Their eyes met and Shepard could sense a slight unease but Jack nodded. 

“I agree but… they aren't worth the extra effort if i'm being honest.” she said and took another drink and sat back in the chair. Shepard watched her for what seemed like a long time before standing and going to the living room to check on Christopher. She found him asleep and carefully covered him with a blanket before putting on another movie for background noise. When she came back, Jack was resting her chin on her hand as she leaned forward on the table and looking out the window. Shepard got out two glasses and some ice before returning to the table. She poured them a proper drink and Jack thanked her. 

Jack stared into the amber liquid before her, dipping her middle finger in and stirring the ice. She looked up to find Shepard simply watching her like she always did. Shepard didn't talk a whole lot unless Jack initiated it which made it feel like she was afraid of upsetting her in anyway. Jack sighed before downing the whole drink and pouring another, preparing herself for what she knew she would have to talk about at some point. 

“Shepard, you don't have to be careful around me. I'm not some fucking porcelain doll.”

“Oh, I know that. But it doesn't mean shit won't get to you. I care enough to not say some real stupid shit, no matter how true, which I have done in the past.”

“Well, i'm not some whiney princess. You can say whatever.”

“Alright.” Shepard said looking at her glass before returning her gaze to Jack.

“Why did you freak out when we tried to fuck?” Shepard was blunt with the her question, more than Jack expected. She sat and thought for moment before leaning against the wall to her right, for some support. 

“I guess I was… fuck. My head was a mess and just the situation reminded me of something. My father… did things. For a long time. The alcohol, the weird shit you made me feel, the anger and shit from that night before getting drunk just kinda… my wall slipped and yeah.” She clenched her eyes shut to keep tears from building. It was like the open admission of the abuse to someone other than her mother made her want to break down. After a taking a few breathes, Jack continued, trying to be more clear. 

“When it was discovered I had biotic abilities, he would punish me in an attempt to keep me from using them. To make me feel like a monster for having them. Then, some time after I turned 7, he started to touch me. That fucker… put his hands all over my body. I didn't understand for a long time how wrong it was till years later. He would hold me down, yell, beat and rub against me till I was 12 when he actually…” the shattering of the glass in her hand cut her off. Shepard moved quickly to clean it up and check her hand before sitting back down. Her expression was blank and she remained silent.

“That continued till I was 16, when Christopher was born. Since then, it's been one nighters and fucking douchebags for me. Great way to cope huh? Im such a fucking loser. Crying over old shit.” Jack said, tears burning her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look at Shepard. 

“No, not a loser. You are strong Jack.”

“Yeah whatever. Everyone fucking says that ‘cause I didn't put a bullet in my skull.”

“To some, that makes you strong. To me, it's because you haven't killed him. You stay in that house and leave him alive for the sake of your brother's innocence. You don't want to take from him what your dad took from you.” Shepard said in an even voice that made Jack look at her again. 

“I'm a killer. Plain and simple. Yes, i killed bad people but they were probably not all bad. I was going to kill your father. Would have if you didn't stop me but you did. You did because you are strong enough to bare the pain of living with him so your brother can have some sort of normal life that you didn't have.” she said as she took a sip of her whisky. Jack furrowed brow, trying to see some flaw in what she said but when their eyes met, the passion in the green eyes made her breath catch before sending more tears forward. Jack buried her face into her fists as she cried silently. She was so tired but felt so much lighter for finally telling someone all of the things that haunted her dreams. Upon feeling the familiar calloused hand on her wrist, Jack looked up to see Shepard leaning across the table, concern in her eyes. Jack placed her hand in Shepard’s and they sat in silence till Jack stopped crying completely. She took a swig from Shepard’s glass before standing and pulling her along. 

It wasn't hard to find Shepards bathroom from her dark bedroom as she remembered the general area. Jack stripped herself of the form fitted black sleeveless shirt, then her skinny jeans and boots. She turned to face Shepard, bare body casted in shadows. Their eyes locked, she shivered under the gentle touch of Shepard as the woman traced a tattoo from Jack’s collarbone, down the center of her chest to her navel. Jack could feel the look of admiration rather than lust and it made her relax more under the touch. 

Shepard admired the tattoos that wrapped Jack's body. One day, she would ask about the meaning behind each one but for now, she simply admired the work but mostly Jack’s form. Shepard stopped tracing the tattoos and pulled her shirt and binding off, casting the clothes to a hamper beside them. She started to undo the belt to her jeans when Jack stepped forward and stopped her. Shepard watched as Jack removed the belt for her and shivered from her touch when she hooked her slender fingers onto the hem of the redheads boxer briefs. Jack pushed the clothing down, letting them fall and stepped back to look at Shepard again. 

As they stood bare, the faint light kissing their skin, Shepard felt an overwhelming calmness wash over her. She stepped forward and brought her right hand to Jack's chin, lifting her face and leaned down enough for their lips to meet. It was a gentle kiss that slowly dissolved into a passionate one. Jack placed her hands against Shepard's chest, swiping her thumbs across her nipples before slowly moving them up to her broad shoulders. Shepard’s tongue danced with Jacks, stopping it long enough to nip at her plump lower lip. They slowly came to a stop, each woman panting softly. Shepard grinned and kissed Jack's brow before reluctantly pulling from their embrace. 

“Shower or bath?”

“Both.” 

Shepard nodded and started the shower, heating it to her preference before notching it down some. She stepped in and held out a hand to Jack, pulling her into an embrace again. They held each other for a few minutes, exchanging soft kisses and touches before washing up. Shepard got out first to run the bath. She opened a small over head cabinet and pulled out a oil that smelled like lavender. Climbing in as Jack finished and got out, Shepard settled back into the large tub and watched the beads of water roll down Jacks slender frame. Lustful thoughts had started to enter her mind but she kept them at bay.

Jack climbed in and, to Shepard's surprise, sat in her lap. She cradled herself against Shepard's large frame much like she had carried her, resting her head against her right shoulder. Shepard grabbed the bottle of oil and poured a little into the hot bath water, causing the relaxing scent to spread through the bathroom. Jack hummed as she relaxed more. 

“I've never done… well any of this. You are a complete unknown, Shep and it fucking terrifies me.” Jack whispered before looking her in the eye. 

“Yeah, same for you. I mean, im not gunna lie. I've had a few supposedly serious or at least honest relationships in the past but, they didn't last long.” 

“Why the fuck not?”

“Because they wanted fast paced and constant danger. While i wanted to just relax and just be from time to time. Oh, and they wanted drugs. And couldn’t handle my bad days.” she said stiffening some before willing herself to relax again. 

“Well, I don't like boring but sometimes a break is needed before you shoot your own fucking brains out. I get it. You live and breathe danger. They wanted a piece of it, not you.”

“Yeah, I know but i let it happen till some real shit went down and they run off.” Shepard said laughing softly. They sat in silence again, just holding each other till the water cooled. Shepard lifted Jack as she stood and placed her on the rug, just outside the tub before stepping out herself. They dried off and made for the bed. Shepard sat on the edge after pulling on a clean pair of boxers and shorts. As she watched Jack rifle through her drawers, she couldn't help but smile and embrace the feeling in her chest. Jack walked over after pulling on a oversized (for Jack) thermal. They crawled under the blankets and once again, embraced each other. Shepard loved the way they fit together. She caressed Jack's back under the shirt, getting gentle kisses on her collarbone in return. Closing her eyes and allowing the calm to consume her, Shepard embraced the call of sleep.

-

In the under belly of Z-1, the shadows pulsated and whispered. Rumors began to spread that the Butcher was gone after so long of no one really seeing him. Then, word spread that the Eclipse were gaining forces and started to appear on Eden. Garm caught wind and began to immediately look into the second rumor. While conducting business in Z-3, Garm and a small group entered a business tower. They were there to finish out a contract to recover some stolen possessions of the ceo. When they entered the large office, they were met with 20 dead Blood Pack bodies strewn all over. On the back wall, the message “Bring me the Butcher -JS” was written in blood. Garm stared for a long time before shouting and kicking one of the dead bodies. A click followed by rapid beeping was the last thing he heard.


End file.
